Recipharm AB is collaborating with Vectura Group plc to provide access to its license for the regulatory dossier of Asmasal for Chinese market approval. The regulatory submission will be led by Vectura’s new strategic joint venture, Tianjin Kinnovata Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

Asmasal Clickhaler is a dry powder inhaler with the active ingredient salbutamol, which is used in conditions where there is narrowing of the airways, such as asthma or COPD. Vectura’s Clickhaler device allows the active to be delivered directly into the lungs. Recipharm currently supplies the product to markets in the UK and France.

An application for the import of Asmasal Clickhaler (salbutamol) has been filed with the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). Recipharm will manufacture finished product for Kinnovata and the Chinese market, and provide technical assistance to transfer the manufacturing to Kinnovata facilities in China.

“We are happy to be involved with Vectura’s joint venture in the Chinese pharma market and we believe that we can contribute to this, not just from providing access to the product but also from providing services to Kinnovata until its local manufacturing is up and running,” said Carl-Johan Spak, executive vice president, development and technology at Recipharm.